Stop the ACLU Coalition of Alabama

This site is to inform you of the agenda of the ACLU and it's attack on anything Christian. I will also post the actions we take through letters, rallys' and also the Stop the ACLU Coalition as whole is doing. I will post articles to this effect. We need your help both on the ground and finances. Send all donations to the main website of Stop the ACLU Coalition. I will have it in my link section. If you care about the warefare of your Children and Faith the time is now, to ACT!

Friday, December 15, 2006

The Pit Bull vs ACLU "Bull"

The Pit Bull vs. ACLU “Bull” Written by Nedd Wednesday, 06 December 2006

Conservatives love him. Law enforcement trusts him. Taxpayers appreciate him. Arizonans are thankful for him. Criminals cringe when they meet him. Illegal aliens know their destiny when they see him. And the ACLU gets heartburn when they know they have to deal with him, that is when they feel the need to sue.

Meet Sheriff Joe Arpaio.

If you’re like me, you probably at some occasion (frequently for me) received an e-mail circulating the Internet stating how prisoners in Maricopa County are forced to wear pink underwear and provided with green bologna sandwiches for meals. And they have to perform boot camp-like work under the hot Arizona sun. And when those in Maricopa’s pokey whine about it, he reminds them what our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan have gone thru.

Liberal columnist E.J. Martini of the Arizona Republic and ACLU of Arizona director Alessandra Soler Meetze apparently don’t agree with most of us but then again, birds of a feather flock together. And these two flock in opposition to the vast majority of taxpayers in Maricopa County.

Then again, who asked them what they thought? The ACLU doesn’t care about taxpayer dollars, gladly accepting them when they win certain cases. They’re more than happy to see the citizens of Arizona pay to support the evil of abortion.

Now Mr. Arpaio is in the midst of a suit from the American Criminal Liberties Union regarding the county’s refusal to transport a gravid female prison to a killing center (AKA abortion mill) to do away with her child. Though the abortion has regretfully been performed (as Mr. Martini pointed out), the good sheriff is gladly taking on the ACLU and defending the denial of taxpayer funds for those who slaughtering unborn children repugnant.

Mr. Martini likes pointing out that Arizona tax dollars also go to provide other medical services and funerals. However, he apparently can’t distinguish necessary medical care from unnecessary “care” and the immorality that comes from child sacrifice.

For you liberals reading this as well as wishy-washy “moderates” and diehard ACLU fanatics, I don’t and won’t apologize for talking about abortion as often as I do. I will do so until I die or until it is abolished, whichever comes first. It is America’s scourge.

You see, the ACLU sued this Arizona county in October 2004 after our hero denied transporting this prisoner to nearest abortuary. As pointed out here, pregnancy is not a disease and that the “choice” of elective abortion was not appropriate.

The ACLU sees things differently but then again, what would you expect from an organization that has cozied up with Planned Parenthood and their ilk for the last 6+ decades? The ACLU has never met an abortion it didn’t like.

And we haven’t yet got to the best part – the ACLU having to deal with Sheriff Joe on his relentless pursuit of illegal aliens. If you haven’t seen it, stay near your monitor.

Now if you read the ACLU’s brief, (page 11 in Microsoft Word) you’ll find the statements that they have a problem with. However, I’ll gladly provide them here for you:

· “It’s government money and this is elective surgery. What are they going to ask for next? A nose job?” (R 29 Ex. 10 at 29:12-20.)

· “The gal may have the baby by the time it gets through the court system. But we’ll take care of them in jail like all medical conditions.” (Id. at 33:7-22.)

· Sheriff Arpaio’s 2004 campaign brochure states that he “is fighting an ACLU lawsuit that would liberalize abortion access for his inmates.” The campaign brochure further states: “For so many reasons the ACLU is wrong to force my office into being a taxi service for abortion proponents. I won’t permit it.” (Id. at 34:1-10; R 29 Ex. 16.)

· “I’m very pro-life and believe in family values. . . . I’m being sued by the Civil Liberties Union and they want me to pick up, to take my female inmates out of jail, take them to an abortion clinic, let them have an abortion, and transport them back to jail. . . . That will never happen.” (R 29 Ex. 10 at 35:12-36:3.)

Hey, this sounds like my kind of guy, how about you?

A district court struck down the law as unconstitutional; however, it is on appeal to the Arizona Court of Appeals. You can read the ACLU’s press release as well as their absurd comment that “Preventing women prisoners from getting abortions is dangerous and unjust,” by clicking here.

To paraphrase the ACLU’s language, killing unborn children in the womb is safer than a medical extraction of the child from his or her “safe harbor zone”.

Based on this piece, it appears that the appeals court is skeptical of the county’s policy and may strike it down. But Sheriff Joe is unfazed and has said he will appeal it, all the way to the Supreme Court, if necessary. It’s going to be tough, considering the ACLU sued the state of Missouri in similar fashion and was upheld by the Supreme Court, though the reverse conclusion was the result in Louisiana as Life News reported.

Citizens of Arizona and particularly Maricopa County have a lot to be thankful for with this outstanding man. Some may be troubled by the use of tax dollars to appeal this case but keep in mind it was this woman and the ACLU that started it.

Now let’s turn to the borders and see what the ACLU and this Alessandra gal have to say about Sheriff Joe and his undeterred mission to rid his county (and in the process, the state) of illegal aliens.

"While we expect local police to cooperate with federal authorities in apprehending anyone, including non-citizens, who are suspected of criminal activity, local police should not be in the business of detaining or arresting law-abiding aliens based on their immigration status.”

Here’s a 30 year old woman (maybe 31 now) who came from the Miami Herald, to assume the job of director of the ACLU of Arizona, telling a sheriff who has been on the job since 1992, elected and reelected 4X, and oversaw a recidivism rate more than 5X below the national average, how to do his business. Less than 6 months into her job, this Alessandra chick thought she could take on this truly big boy roughly twice her age.

Well, I don’t think the good sheriff paid much attention to the ACLU’s whining and claims that he was in violation of federal law on illegal immigration. Less than one month after Alessandra’s press release, a judge upheld the Arizona law she howled about and the state was sued over, a law banning human smuggling that duly elected representatives of the state legislature passed and which their governor signed.

You could say Alessandra “Meetze” her match in Sheriff Joe, or rather “met” her match, to be grammatically correct. Or better yet, the pit bull meets the organization and director that is full of bull.

If America had sheriffs across our land like Joe Arpaio, refusing to bow to the ACLU on abortion related matters with prisoners and on illegal aliens, our country would be significantly safer and securer. And the ACLU would have countless headaches on its hands.

Bottom line, I love this guy!

The suit against the county is on appeal.

Oh, and here is a great brand new piece posted on Sheriff Joe that just came out as I was ready to post this – click here to read.

Pro-life, pro-taxpayer, anti-illegal immigration, gentle to the unborn, a drill sergeant and pit bull to criminals and illegals, and the ACLU of Arizona’s worst nightmare – what a winning combination! Too bad he didn't run against Arizona's liberal governor, Janet Napolitano, in last month's election. He could have cleaned up the state against the illegals and been a battering ram against ACLU efforts to stop him. And I'm sure he would have won handily.

Put this man as the CEO of America for 2008. We need someone like him in charge since our amnesty loving president G.W. (Guest Worker) Bush and the Democratically controlled incoming Congress are going to do everything they can to give the illegals a permanent pass to our country (over many of our dead bodies) in the 110th Congressional session. Our borders will be secured in no time. And the ACLU’s days would be numbered. And possibly the abortion industry as well. It would be a political earthquake of unprecedented proportions. And our Founding Fathers would be proud, I'm sure.

Saturday, June 10, 2006

Save the Cross at Mt Soledad

The parents of a Marine who died in Iraq are urging President Bush to help ensure their son continues to be memorialized under a historic cross threatened by a judge's order.

Robert and Sybil Martino want the federal park service to take over the Mt. Soledad war memorial site from the city of San Diego, which is at the center of a 17-year dispute begun by an atheist charging the cross violates the so-called "separation of church and state."

The Martinos' son, Capt. Michael Martino, was killed in action in Iraq last November when his Cobra helicopter was shot down by a Russian shoulder-mounted SA-16 surface-to-air missile.U.S. District Judge Gordon Thompson ordered the city of San Diego May 3 to remove the mountain-top cross within 90 days or face a fine of $5,000 a day. Thompson ruled the 29-foot structure unconstitutional in 1991, but the case has remained in courts and become an issue of public policy. In a letter to Bush, the Martinos write, "Our son loved his country and the many rights and liberties it provided. … Our son died with a strong belief that he was fighting to preserve the freedom of all Americans. Please let us have OUR freedom from activist judges and their personal interpretation of our Constitution."

The Martinos also have asked military veterans Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., to approach the president.Last month, members of the slain officer's Camp Pendleton unit, which recently returned from Iraq, dedicated a plaque at Mt. Soledad to commemorate his legacy. More than 300 fellow Marines stood in line for over three hours to pay their respects to the parents.

The Martinos expressed "the feelings of honor [they] felt at having their son memorialized for all time under the cross at Mt. Soledad."The parents said "there is no better place on the West Coast to honor our fallen heroes than under that cross overlooking the country they fought and died to preserve."Robert Marino, noting the cross's existence in one form or another since 1913, contends the Soledad cross "is no more an affront to personal beliefs than the thousands of crosses at Arlington."Michael Martino, 32, was awarded posthumously a Purple Heart and promoted to the rank of Marine major. He enlisted in the Marine Corps after graduating from the University of California at San Diego.His father characterized him "as a determined young man who was focused and always gave it his all."

Saturday, June 03, 2006

ACLU fights child molester 'banishment'

The ACLU of Indiana filed the suit challenging a new city ordinance that fines child molesters caught near city playgrounds or other gathering spots for children.Calling the ordinance passed in mid-May unconstitutionally vague, the group said it would make law-abiding citizens unwitting violators of the ordinance and hinder their ability to work, vote and worship.

The ordinance prohibits sex offenders convicted of crimes against children from coming within 1,000 feet of playgrounds, recreation centers, swimming pools, sports fields or facilities when children are around. One exception to the ban is if the offender is accompanied by an adult with no history of sex crimes.

Anyone who violates the ordinance commits an infraction punishable by progressive fines: $600 for the first violation, $1,000 for the second and $2,500 for subsequent violations within the same year.

The ordinance goes beyond a bill passed this session by the Indiana General Assembly. That law bars sex offenders from living within 1,000 feet of a public park, school or youth programs center.

Supporters of the local measure say it is necessary to safeguard society's most vulnerable."You see all the stories almost every day about a child falling victim to a molester," Democratic City-County Councilman Vernon Brown said. He said this was one of the few things the council could do to save at least one child "from that horror."

According to Doug Gosser, of the Indiana Sheriff's Association, between 6,000 and 7,000 people are on the Indiana Sheriff's Association's Sex Offender Registry. He said the registry database does not break down how many of the offenders abused children.

Ken Falk, the ACLU of Indiana's legal director, said the city ordinance effectively restores the long-discarded, punitive practice of "banishment," because it is virtually impossible to travel the streets and highways of Marion County without passing within 1,000 feet of a public playground or other prohibited site.Drive on I-65 and you pass the Velodrome and a skate park, Falk said. "You can't get from point A to point B in Indianapolis without being in violation."The suit gives anonymous examples of former offenders who would be hurt by the ordinance.There's the man who received counseling and was awarded joint custody of his son, now 7 years old. The pair frequently visits parks and other recreational centers. Because the man is employed at a place within 1,000 feet of a park, he would breach the ordinance by going to work, the suit says.

Another man votes at a public school within range of a sports field. Because he is not eligible to cast an absentee ballot, the new restrictions would keep him from voting, the suit says.Falk said that even the ordinance's exemption -- lifting the restrictions if the former offender is accompanied by an adult with no record of sex crimes -- is problematic.Falk said the term "accompanied" is not defined in the ordinance. "If you're within five feet, if you're within 10 feet, if you go with someone and they have to go to the bathroom, do you have to go to the bathroom with them?" he asked.

Democratic Councilman Greg Bowes, one of two council members who opposed the ordinance, also questions the practicality of enforcing the law and thinks it does little to protect children.Many child molesters abuse children in their families or other children they know -- not strangers, he said.

Though it's every parent's worst nightmare, "we don't have that much trouble of people grabbing children out of parks."

Tuesday, May 16, 2006

Was Jesus Married?

One of the most amazing claims of The Da Vinci Code is that Jesus married Mary Magdalene, and she then became the most important of the apostles. If this is true, then the New Testament cannot be trusted, and its entire inspiration is in question.

There can be no serious question about the marital status of Jesus. The canonical gospels, (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) preclude any option of understanding Jesus as married. He operates as an unmarried teacher with a band of devoted disciples. He is not the head of a household, but builds a household of faith--the church. At the crucifixion, he assigns John responsibility for caring for Mary, his mother. There is no mention of any wife, certainly no mention of children.

This is no problem for Dan Brown and others who promote their invented Christology. According to Brown and author Margaret Starbird, Jesus not only married Mary Magdalene, but also fathered a child who became the head of the Merovingian royal dynasty.

So, how can Brown and others promote this theory? Simply by asserting that the marital status of Jesus was hidden by Christian leaders by means of a vast conspiracy. This conspiracy, we are told, explains the absence of any mention of Jesus' marriage in the New Testament and the church's denial of any such suggestion throughout its history. What evidence would Brown and Starbird produce in order to buttress their case?

Starbird points to Jesus' instruction to Mary Magdalene after his resurrection, as recorded in John's gospel. When Jesus tells Mary not to touch Him, Starbird claims that this actually means, "do not cling to me," which is further asserted to mean that they were married. As Vargas explains by means of a question: "and that kind of embrace would have been unusual if it were not between a man and a woman, husband and wife?"

Darrell Bock, professor of New Testament at Dallas Theological Seminary, countered Starbird's assertion. "Its just her single act of devotion," Bock explained, "given to him without concern about what people are thinking about what she's doing." Vargas then conceded that the majority of biblical scholars consulted for the program agreed with Professor Bock's assessment. Nevertheless, don't count that as a complete loss, for she did find one biblical scholar who thought that the scene in the garden might "point to an intimate relationship between Mary Magdalene and Jesus.

"Father Richard McBrien of the University of Notre Dame quickly confirmed that if Jesus had married, it would have been to Mary Magdalene. "If he was married, it was obviously...oh, yeah, it was obviously Mary Magdalene." Father McBrien evidently confuses romance novels with the New Testament.

One of the central arguments found in The Da Vinci Code is that certain leading figures in history have always known the truth. The "Priory of Sion," asserted to be a cabal of the illuminated ones, is central to Brown's plot. The Priory is claimed to involve a host of luminaries from European history including, of course, Leonardo Da Vinci. According to Brown's thesis, Da Vinci hid hints of Jesus' marriage in works of art such as his famous masterpiece, "The Last Supper." Brown argues that one of the figures in the fresco standing next to Jesus isn't a man at all, but Mary Magdalene.

Jack Wasserman of Temple University isn't buying that argument. A prominent art historian, Wasserman simply countered that the figure doesn't even look like a woman, once we understand the artistic style of the era

.As a matter of fact, art historians have poked holes in most of Dan Brown's interpretations found in The Da Vinci Code. Of course, if you are promoting a conspiracy theory, you just make this part of the conspiracy. When Elizabeth Vargas asked Dan Brown why so many art historians dismiss his theories "as absolutely bizarre and crazy," Brown explained: "I think its because we see what we've been told we see." Oh, now we see. Instead of seeing what we've been told we should see, we should now see what Dan Brown wants us to see. See?

The most fascinating insights revealed in the "Prime Time Monday" broadcast had actually very little to do with The Da Vinci Code itself. Of far greater interest to thinking Christians were the arguments made by liberal theologians and divinity school professors that directly attacked the truthfulness of the Bible. This is, of course, of much greater concern than the interpretation of Leonardo Da Vinci's masterpieces.

In introducing this material, Vargas argued: "If you look at the Christian Bible, it's clear that there are large holes in the stories we have about the life of Jesus. The church chose four gospels that tell his story in the New Testament. But there were other stories written about Jesus, other gospels so controversial the Church ordered them destroyed. And they were, except for one set of copies. And it remained hidden in Egypt until about fifty years ago."

Ah ha! The conspiracy deepens.

Vargas' hyped introduction referred to the Nag Hammadi scrolls found around the time of World War II. These Gnostic gospels were heretical accounts of the life and ministry of Jesus. Early Christians were aware of these spurious writings and rightly rejected them as sub-biblical and erroneous.

Of course, Dan Brown and company are now ready to tout the Gnostic gospels as even more reliable than the New Testament. These documents and fragments are not older than the canonical Gospels, as is often claimed. They are examples of the false gospels that were recognized as such by the early church.

Father Richard McBrien, well known as a liberal Roman Catholic academic, is ready to elevate Mary Magdalene to the status of an apostle. As he claimed, "She really was every bit as much an apostle, a companion, spokesperson for Jesus and his gospel as any of the men were." Of course, this assertion denies the official teaching of the Roman Catholic Church and the consensus of all branches of Christianity throughout the last two thousand years.

Karen King of the Harvard Divinity School argues that the denial of Jesus' marital status and the marginalization of Mary Magdalene are the result of a male conspiracy to deny the equality of women and the rightful place of female leadership in the church. Of course, since she sees Christianity as something that human beings have made, she would now call for the church to remake itself in a way more to her liking.

"Sometimes religion is presented as something that's fixed and stable," King explained, "where you have to accept it or reject it." But, as you might now suspect, professor King does not see Christianity as anything fixed or stable. To the contrary, as she asserted: "But the fact is that religious traditions, and certainly Christianity among them, is very diverse, very filled with possibilities. And we need to take responsibility for the kind of religion we make.

"That final sentence is a quintessential statement of liberal theology. According to professors like Karen King, we "make up" Christianity as we go along. Now, informed by feminism and New Age spirituality, we can remake Christianity and leave behind all that tired, stale, orthodoxy that has been handed down to us.

The evidence against these revisionist forms of Christianity is massive. Belief in the veracity and historical credibility of the New Testament is the great dividing line between Christianity and this new religion posing as Christianity. According to John 3:16, Jesus is "the only begotten" Son of God. He came to redeem sinners by His atoning death and resurrection in order that we might become adopted as the sons and daughters of God. Jesus Christ did not marry and did not beget any children of the flesh. Through faith, we become the sons and daughters of God through Christ's accomplished work of salvation.

All these revisionist versions of Christianity are rejections of the Gospel handed down from the apostles and honored by faithful Christians in every generation. Dan Brown has written a suspense thriller that ABC News has taken as a serious historical argument. They were able to find a host of liberal enablers to help push the case and hype the story. But, in the end, we have to choose between the Christ of the New Testament and the Christ of The Da Vinci Code.Check it out for yourself, and read the New Testament. Truth is far more interesting than fiction. The mythical Christ of The Da Vinci Code is no match for the authentic Christ of the Bible.

Do you know what the message of the Bible is?

It tells us that God is good by nature, and because of His goodness He will make sure that justice is eventually done. For example, there were more than 150,000 unsolved murders in the U.S. during the last 20 years — however, those unpunished murderers will receive justice by being sent to God's "prison" — a place called "Hell." But God is so good He will also punish rapists, thieves, liars, adulterers, blasphemers, and fornicators (those who have had sex before marriage).

How will you do on Judgment Day? Ask yourself a few questions: Have you ever lied (even once) or stolen (regardless of value)? Have you ever used God’s name in vain, or had sexual thoughts about someone to whom you are not married? Have you ever hated someone? The shocking truth is that if you said yes to those questions, on Judgment Day God will see you as a lying thief . . . a blasphemer . . . an adulterer . . . and even a murderer. Jesus said, "Whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart," and Scripture also says that if you hate someone, you are a murderer.

This is the Bible’s warning — if God gives you justice on Judgment Day, you will end up in Hell. However, God is rich in mercy, and He made a way for you to be forgiven: "God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Jesus suffered and died on the cross, taking the punishment for your sins. Then He rose from the dead and defeated death. If you repent and trust in Jesus, God will forgive you and grant you eternal life. Then read the Bible daily and obey what you read (see John 14:21).

If you choose to ignore the Bible's warning, and instead believe the fantasies of The Da Vinci Code, then be aware that you have joined the "Elvis is Alive!" crowd. You've included yourself in the ranks of the wide-eyed and faithful tabloid customers. The choice, however, is yours. It's your eternity. So think it through carefully. There's nothing more important than where you spend eternity.

Monday, February 27, 2006

What if you died Today?

If You Want to Answer it Correctly Then You Must Think About Several Things

Be sure that you know what God is like. God created you and is your rightful owner. God is loving, merciful, and kind. But we often do not think about the fact that God is holy. The Bible says that "God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all." (1 John 1:5) This means that God is perfectly holy. God always does what is right, and His laws are perfect. God never makes a mistake. God never approves of or ignores evil. Because God is holy, He hates all sin. (Psalm 5:5) Anything that is sinful or wrong cannot even come near God -- it would be burned away by His holiness. The Bible says that God is "of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity." (Habakkuk 1:13; "iniquity" is another word for "sin"). God is so holy that the Bible compares Him to a consuming fire. (Hebrews 12:28-29)

God's holiness is an awesome thing. The Bible says, "who shall not fear Thee, O Lord, and glorify Thy name? For thou only art holy." (Revelation 15:4) This pure, holy God who hates sin is your Judge. The Bible says, "Who is able to stand before this holy Lord God?" (1 Samuel 6:20)

God's holiness is the opposite of our sinfulness.

Everybody admits that they are not perfect. We all know that we have done some bad things in our lifetime. But most people do not understand what the Bible teaches about sin.

What is sin?

The Bible says that "Sin is the transgression of the law." (1 John 3:4). In other words, sin is rejecting or disobeying God's laws. We sin any time we do not do what God wants us to do. If we disobey God's laws, then we sin. If we fail to do the good things God commands us to do, then we sin. Some people think sin is only really horrible things like murder, adultery, getting drunk, or robbing a store. These are sins, but the Bible says that we sin when we disobey any of God's laws. The Bible also says that our attitudes and thoughts can be sinful -- so things like pride, lust, selfishness, greed, and hatred are sins, too.

Here are a Few of God's Laws Have You Broken Any of Them?

"Thou shalt love the Lord, thy God, with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind." (Matthew 22:37) This means that God must be the most important thing in your life.

"Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." (Matthew 22:39) This means that it is not enough to put up with other people. God commands us to love them.

"Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain." (Exodus 20:7) This means that we cannot use God's name in a joking way or to curse with.

"Thou shalt not steal." (Exodus 20:15) Even stealing little things is a sin.

"Ye have heard that it was said by them of old, Thou shalt not kill and whosoever shall kill will be in danger of judgment; but I say unto you that whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of judgment." (Matthew 5:21-22) This means that feeling hatred or strong anger toward someone is usually a sin.

"Ye have heard that it was said by them of old, Thou shalt not commit adultery; but I say unto you that whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart." (Matthew 5:27-28) This means that lust is a sin.

If you did one sin every day, in ten years that would add up to 3,650 sins. In forty years, you would be guilty of 14,600 sins. And this is if you did only one sin a day!

This is why the Bible says that "all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23) The Bible also says "there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good and sinneth not." (Ecclesiastes 7:20) Is there such a thing as a righteous man who never sins? The Bible says, "If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar." (1 John 1:10) It is true that no one is perfect. But the Bible teaches that we are not even close to being perfect! All of us have broken God's laws many, many times. All of us are guilty sinners.

Stop and think for a moment. How many sins have you done in your lifetime so far? 100? 1,000? 10,000? More than that?

WHY DO WE SIN SO MUCH?

The Bible says we sin over and over again because we have a sinful heart (or, as some people call it, a sinful nature).

Just like it is the nature of a fish to swim and it is the nature of a bird to fly, it is the nature of a human to disobey God and reject His laws. This is the source of our sin problem. Deep down inside our heart, we really want to sin. We like to sin. That is why we do it so much. "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?" (Jeremiah 17:9) Have you ever noticed that you do not have to teach a child how to lie or how to be selfish? They will do that on their own! That is because we are all born with a sinful heart. The Bible says that our sins (things like evil thoughts, lying, stealing, cursing, greed, lust, and pride) come "from within, out of the heart of men." (Mark 7:21-22)

Because we have a sinful heart, we refuse to let God be the Boss of our lives. We do not want anyone -- including God -- telling us what to do. We want to live our life the way we want to. We want to be the boss of our lives. We might believe in God, and we might even go to church or get baptized or sing songs about God, but we do not want Him to run our life. Either we do not want to obey God, or we will only obey God when it is easy. We do not care about God. We all have this attitude, and it comes from our sinful heart.

God created us and is our rightful owner. He demands that we love Him, obey Him, and live the way that He wants us to live. It is a serious sin if we will not let God be the Boss of our lives and if we insist on running our lives the way we want to. If we say, "God, You won't be my Boss! You won't tell me what to do! I'll do whatever I want to with my life, and I'll live my life the way I please!", isn't this just as serious as slapping God in His face?

Do you have a sinful heart? Is God the boss of your life?

Because God is Holy He Must Judge All Sin

God cannot ignore our sins or pretend like our sins never happened. Because we have broken God's laws, we deserve God's punishment. Look at these Bible verses:

"The Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ; who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord." (2 Thessalonians 1:7-9)

"God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day." (Psalm 7:11)

"The soul that sinneth, it shall die." (Ezekiel 18:4)

"The wages of sin is death." (Romans 6:23)

A holy God must judge sin. If God allowed our sin to go unpunished, He would be saying that sin is okay. God will punish all sin because He is a God of justice.

We all know that this is fair. What if a murderer stood before a human judge and the judge knew that the murderer was guilty. What would you think if the judge just let the murderer go free? He would not be a very good judge, would he? He would be a bad judge! A good judge must punish people who are guilty -- he cannot just forget or ignore their crimes. In the same way, a holy God must judge all sin. When God punishes people for their sins, He is only giving them what they deserve.

The Bible says "it is appointed unto man once to die, but after this the judgment." (Hebrews 9:27) You will stand before God one day. You have broken God's laws many times. You deserve God's punishment. The Bible uses the word "wrath" (which means "anger") to describe God's punishment. "The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men." (Romans 1:18) "The day of the Lord cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate; and He shall destroy the sinners out of it." (Isaiah 13:9) When you disobey God and reject His laws, the Bible says you "treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God." (Romans 2:5)

If God judged you for your sins, what would you deserve?

Here Are Some Common Mistakes That People Make About Heaven

Some think, "Yes, I have sinned, but I've done many good things in my life. My good deeds will make up for my bad deeds. I'm good enough to get into Heaven." This kind of thinking is wrong. The Bible never says that good deeds can pay for sins. Only the shedding of blood takes away sins. (Hebrews 9:22) The Bible says "all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags." (Isaiah 64:6) This means that our good deeds are not very good when we compare them to God's holiness. Our good deeds still come out of a sinful heart that refuses to let God be our Boss. That is why they are not better than "filthy rags." When the Bible says "a man is not justified by the works of the law," (Galatians 2:16) it means that our good deeds or good works can never take away our sins and get us into Heaven.

Some think, "I'm not really bad. I'm not as bad as some people. So God won't judge me too hard. I'm good enough to get into Heaven." But God does not judge based on how we compare to other people. He judges by how we compare to His perfect standards of holiness. Maybe you are more kind or more honest or more religious than most people, but that does not matter. God will punish all sin. You need to ask yourself: Have I broken God's laws? Have I refused to let God be the Boss of my life? What do my sins and disobedience deserve?

Some think, "I'm doing the best I can. God will let me into Heaven because I'm doing my very best. And I'm going to try harder." The Bible never says that God will let you into Heaven if you do the best you can or if you try harder. Doing your best and trying harder can never take away sins. But have you really done the best you can? Do you always love God with all your heart? Do you serve God as much as you should? Do you do all the good things that you know you should do? None of us have done our very best!

Many think they are saved because they belong to a certain church, because they were baptized, because they attend church regularly, because they pray, or because they have had religious feelings. The Bible does not teach this. Things that we do, like joining a church or getting baptized can never take away our sins. Only God can take away sins!

You understand sin and God's holiness correctly when you realize that you can never be good enough to deserve to get into Heaven.

King David was a man in the Bible that God was pleased with. David knew that he was a sinful man. (See Psalm 51) David also knew that God is a holy Judge who hates sin. David prayed, "Enter not into judgment with Thy servant; for in Thy sight shall no man living be justified." (Psalm 143:2) David knew that he would be in big trouble if God judged him for his sins and gave him what he deserved. "If Thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?" (Psalm 130:3)

Your sins are so many, and God is so holy, that you could never be good enough to get into Heaven. You can never earn or deserve God's forgiveness. There is nothing you can do to get into Heaven because you cannot erase or get rid of your sins. You have broken God's laws many times. You have refused to let God be the Boss of your life. Because of your sins, God's wrath is upon you. You are in big trouble! If you ever stand before God and He judges you for your sins, you will get what you deserve: everlasting punishment in Hell.

Has the fact that you have disobeyed God many times ever really bothered you?

These are important questions because you can only come to the Lord Jesus Christ for forgiveness if you know that you are a guilty sinner. Jesus said, "They that are whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance." (Luke 5:31-32; see also Luke 18:9-14) Jesus is saying that you must realize how serious your sin problem is before you can be forgiven. If you are not convinced that you are a guilty, lost sinner, then Jesus will not forgive you.

GOOD NEWS

God Himself Made a Way For Our Sins to be Forgiven

God's Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, came to earth 2,000 years ago. Jesus was both God and man at the same time. Jesus did many miracles while on earth. He taught us how God expects us to live. Jesus never sinned and always obeyed all God's laws perfectly. Most importantly, Jesus came to earth to die for our sins.

Jesus Christ was nailed to a cross and crucified. As the Lord Jesus Christ died on the cross, the sins of all God's people were put on Him. Jesus Christ bore or carried our sins in His body. The Bible says that "He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities ... and the Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all." (Isaiah 53:5-6; "iniquity" means "sin") The Lord Jesus "His own self bore our sins in His own body on the tree." (1 Peter 2:24, Galatians 1:3-4)

As Jesus hung on that cross, God poured out His holy punishment for sin on Him. Jesus did not deserve that punishment because He never broke God's laws. But He was carrying our sins, and God gave Jesus Christ the punishment that we deserved. He became our Substitute who died in our place. Jesus Christ paid the penalty for all the sins ever committed by God's people. "Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God." (1 Peter 3:18)

This proves how much God loves us. The Bible says, "God commendeth His love toward us in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8; "commendeth" means "demonstrates" or "proves")

Jesus's death was a sacrifice for our sins. Because Jesus is God, His sacrifice was big enough to fully pay for all those sins. Jesus did not just pay for some sins -- He paid for all the sins of God's people. Jesus Christ satisfied the demands of God's holiness and justice. That is why the Bible says that Jesus "taketh away the sin of the world," that Jesus "shall save His people from their sins," and that Jesus is "able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him." (John 1:29, Matthew 1:21, Hebrews 7:25)

Jesus did not stay dead. God raised Him back to life, proving that Jesus fully paid for all the sins of God's pelple. He then returned to Heaven. The Lord Jesus Christ will come back to earth some day to judge the world. Though we cannot see Him, Jesus Christ is alive today. He is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. (Revelation 19:16) The Lord Jesus Christ today has all power in Heaven and earth. (Matthew 28:18) The Bible says that "Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that He might be Lord both of the dead and living." (Romans 14:9) Lord means Master, Boss, or Owner. Jesus Christ is our Savior, but He is also our Lord. "God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow ... and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God, the Father." (Philippians 2:9-11) People today who disobey, ignore, or reject Jesus Christ are rebelling against the Lord and Ruler of the Universe! You must bow before Jesus and give Him your whole life!

Do you remember the two parts to our sin problem? First, we have done many sinful things. Second, we have a sinful heart or nature that causes us to keep on sinning. The Lord Jesus Christ takes care of both parts of our sin problem. This is what the Bible means by "being saved" or "salvation." It is true that God saves people from Hell, but being saved also means being freed or rescued from living a life of sin.

First, all your sins can be forgiven. Because God fully punished sin when He poured out His punishment on Jesus Christ, there is no need to punish sin again. That is a debt or a bill that is already paid. "The blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanseth us from all sin." (1 John 1:7) Second, the Lord Jesus can change your sinful heart. This change makes you want to live a holy life -- you do not want to sin and you want to please God in everything you do. Jesus can make you into a new person! This is why the Bible says the "if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Coming to Jesus Christ to be rescued from your sins produces big changes. All your sins are forgiven. You receive a new heart. God accepts you as a child in his family and becomes a Father to you. You are justified, or declared righteous, in God's sight. It is like starting your life all over again -- or, as the Bible says, being born again. Jesus said, "Ye must be born again." (John 3:7)

Has your sin problem been taken care of by the Lord Jesus Christ? Do you know that you are totally forgiven of all your sins?

There is nothing that you can do to have your sins forgiven and to receive a new heart. You do not earn God's forgiveness by being good. The Bible teaches that God gives this as a gift to guilty, undeserving sinners like you and me. Being saved or rescued from your sins requires God's grace. Grace means "blessing or gifts that someone does not deserve." The Bible says, "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God -- not of works, lest any man should boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9) It also says that through Jesus Christ "we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace." (Ephesians 1:7) The Bible also says that we are "justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus." (Romans 3:24; "justified" means "declared right with God") How does someone become a Christian? Only through God's grace.

The Bible says there are two conditions we must meet to receive this grace.

We Must REPENT of Our Sins

God "now commandeth all men everywhere to repent." (Acts 17:30) The Lord Jesus Christ said, "except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish." (Luke 13:3,5) "Repent" means to be so sorry for your sins that you stop doing them. When you repent, you realize that your sins are evil and you feel bad about them. (2 Corinthians 7:10-11) Someone who repents hates their sins; they do not keep on doing them! When you repent, you must make two turns: you must turn away from your sins and you must turn to the Lord Jesus Christ to obey Him. Our biggest sin is that we do not want God to be the Boss of our life. To repent means to turn around and go the opposite way: we now make the Lord Jesus the Boss of our life and we live the way He wants us to.

Is there some sin in your life that you will not give up? Repenting is a matter of ALL or NOTHING. If you will not stop doing your sins, then you cannot be forgiven. God only saves people who really repent.

Jesus said, "If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me." (Matthew 16:24) This is what repentance is: we say "no" to our old way of living and our sins, and we follow Jesus Christ. Our old life of disobeying God is over.

Do you feel so sorry for your sins that you will stop doing them?

We Must Have FAITH in the Lord Jesus Christ

"Being justified by faith, we have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ." (Romans 5:1) You must believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, that He died on the cross to rescue people from their sins, and that His death on the cross completely pays for sin. You must believe that Jesus Christ has the power to save you from your sins. You must trust the Lord Jesus Christ to take away your sins and change your heart.

When you sit in a chair, you trust that chair to hold you up. You prove you have that trust when you put your full weight on the chair. If you sit on the chair but hold on to something else, then you prove that you do not really trust the chair. In the same way, you must trust or put your full weight on the Lord Jesus Christ. You must rely on Him and Him alone for the forgiveness of your sins. If you think that God will let you into Heaven because you were baptized, or because you belong to a certain church, or because you are living a good life, then you are not really trusting Jesus Christ. All your hope must be in Him. You cannot hold on to anything else.

It is not enough to believe the facts about Jesus Christ. The devil believes all the facts about Jesus Christ, but he is not forgiven. (James 2:19) What is the difference between the Devil's faith and the faith that results in salvation? Real faith is always mixed with repentance Real faith means you surrender to Jesus Christ. If you have real faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, then you will love Him, you will obey Him, and you will live the way He wants you to live.

Some years ago, a preacher talked with a young girl about giving her life to the Lord Jesus Christ. The girl admitted that she was not a Christian but said that she wanted to become one. The man asked her, "Why do you want to be saved?" The girl answered, "Please, sir, I don't want to live a life of sin." That girl had the attitude of a person who is ready to be saved: they do not want to disobey God any longer.

If you have ever had a checking account, you know what a "blank check" is. Signing a "blank check" is dangerous, isn't it? If you sign a check but do not fill in the amount, someone else can fill in any amount they want to (and it might be all the money you have!) Repenting of your sins and having faith in Jesus Christ is like giving God a "blank check" with your life. You say, "God, You take my whole life. I will do whatever You want me to do. You are my Boss from now on." That is what real faith is!

God's forgiveness is a free gift. If you repent and have faith in Christ, however, you will have to change many things. The first thing the Apostle Paul said after God saved him was "Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?" (Acts 9:6) If God saves you, that will be your attitude. You will have to give up things you have done all your life and begin doing things that you have never done. You must live your life the way God wants you to, which means you must live according to His rules. (Hebrews 12:14, 1 Peter 1:15-16) You must find a church where the Bible is taught and be a faithful part of that church. (Hebrews 10:25, 1 John 3:14) Friends and family members may laugh at you. Being a real Christian is not easy. Jesus Christ said that coming to Him will cost a great deal. He said, "Whosoever he is of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, cannot be My disciple." Before you come to Christ, you must "count the cost" -- be sure you are willing to stick it out! (Luke 14:25-33) This is what true faith includes. But it is worth it because the Lord Jesus Christ is worth it. Jesus is worthy of all you could ever give Him. Jesus Christ deserves your whole life.

Will you repent of your sins?

Will you have faith in Jesus Christ?

Will you give God a "blank check" with your life?

Being saved from your sin is something between you and the Lord Jesus Christ. No church or preacher can save you. You will have to talk to Jesus Christ yourself. There are no "magic words" or special prayers that you should pray. You must seriously, honestly cry out to the Lord Jesus Christ. You cannot see Him, but he is alive today and hears you. Jesus Christ has all power in Heaven and earth; He (and He alone) has the power to save you from your sins!

If you are serious, you can be sure that the Lord Jesus Christ will hear you. The Bible says "whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." (Romans 10:13) The Lord Jesus Christ said, "All that the Father giveth Me shall come to Me; and him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out." (John 6:37; "in no wise" means "by no means" or "never")

If You Reject Jesus as Your Lord and Savior Then You Will One Day Face Him as your Judge

We will all die one day and stand before God. The Bible says that God's wrath or anger is upon those people who refuse to obey the Lord Jesus Christ and refuse to trust Him for the forgiveness of sins. (John 3:36) Those people will face an everlasting punishment in Hell. (Revelation 20:11-15, 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9) God's people -- those who repent of their sins and trust the Lord Jesus Christ -- will live forever with God in His holy Heaven. (Revelation 21:1-22) But everyone will live forever in either Heaven or Hell.

What would happen if you died tonight and stood before God for Judgment?

If God judged you for your sins, where would you spend eternity?

Nearly 3,000 years ago, God said, "Ye shall seek Me, and find Me, when ye shall search for Me with all your heart." (Jeremiah 29:13) That is a great promise! If we really search for the Lord with all our heart -- if we are really serious -- then we will find Him. But if we do not search for Him with all our heart -- if we are not serious -- then we will not find Him.

Isn't it time you really got serious about God?

If you believe that God is real, then shouldn't He be the most important thing in your life?

Few things in this world are really a matter of life and death. Your relationship with God is that serious. Today is the day that you need to repent of your sins and trust Christ to save you. You may not have tomorrow.

How Can I Know if I am a Christian Already?

Religious feelings and miraculous experiences are not enough. Walking the aisle and shaking the pastor's hand does not make someone a Christian. Many people who have been baptized are not real Christians. Membership in the best church in the world does not make someone a Christian. "Praying through" on a mourner's bench does not necessarily mean that you are saved. You can know many things about the Bible and not be a Christian.

The Bible tells us how we can know whether or not we are really saved. The book of 1 John contains several "tests" that show whether God has truly saved someone or not.

Here are a few of the Bible's tests:

"By this we do know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He that saith, "I know Him, and keepeth not His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him." (1 John 2:3-4)

Real Christians keep the Lord's commandments. Of course, Christians do sin. But real Christians are determined to obey God in all areas of their life. People who are not Christians frequently disobey God. They often do not care about God's commandments.

"For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments: and His commandments are not grievous." (1 John 5:3; "grievous" means "burdensome" or "difficult")

Real Christians want to obey God. They enjoy obeying God. People who are not saved find it very difficult to obey the Lord's commands.

"Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him." (1 John 2:15)

Real Christians live for the future world, not this one. They reject many things that this world does. People who are not Christians find it very hard to give up the joys and pleasures of this world. When given a choice, non-Christians choose the world instead of the things that God approves of.

"He that doeth the will of God abideth forever." (1 John 2:17)

Real Christians do or obey God's will, which means that God is the Boss of their life. People who are not Christians are their own bosses and they run their own lives. People who are lost often disobey God's will or simply do not care about God's will.

"He that doeth righteousness is righteous .... He that committeth sin is of the devil ... whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin .. whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God." (1 John 3:7-10)

Real Christians do righteous things over and over again. The pattern of his life is one of holiness. Someone who is not a Christian does wrong things over and over again. The pattern of his life is one of disobedience to God's laws.

"We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren." (1 John 3:14)

Real Christians love other Christians. That is why real Christians are always faithful members of their local church. Christians enjoy being with other Christians, so they see going to church as a privilege and not a duty. Non-Christians either do not attend church or go to church only once in a while.

"By this we know that He abideth in us, by the Spirit whom He hath given us." (1 John 3:24)

Real Christians have the Holy Spirit living in them. This is why they find spiritual things interesting and they enjoy studying the Bible. People who are not saved do not have the Holy Spirit. The Bible is often boring to them and hard to understand.

"Whatever is born of God overcommeth the World." (1 John 5:4)

Real Christians have victory over sin. They can break bad habits and see real change in their life as they pursue holiness. People who are not Christians often cannot break bad habits.

Do You Pass These Tests?

Be honest. If you do not pass these Bible tests, then you probably are not a Christian and have never been saved. Jesus said there will be many on the Day of Judgment who think they are Christians but are not. He said, "Not every one that saith unto Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doeth the will of My Father, Who is in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy name? And in Thy name have cast out devils? And in Thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you; depart from Me, ye that work iniquity." (Matthew 7:21-23) What is the mark of someone who is really saved? Jesus said that he "doeth the will of My Father , who is in Heaven." In other words, he obeys God and lives a life that is pleasing to God.

Monday, February 06, 2006

The ACLU's love affair with death

Nedd KareivaFebruary 2, 2006

The recent rulings from the 2nd & 9th Circuit Court of Appeals to strike down "The Partial Birth Abortion Act of 2003" as unconstitutional shows, perhaps more than any other decision in American history, how culturally depraved and uncivilized this nation really is to call such a "procedure" legal. And besides the pro-abortion organizations like NOW, NARAL and the National Abortion Federation, no group shows its true colors on abortion more than the ACLU.In its January 31st web site press release, the ACLU's main heading goes: ACLU and National Abortion Federation Hail Two Appeals Court Rulings Holding Federal Abortion Ban Unconstitutional (http://www.aclu.org/reproductiverights/abortionbans/24004prs20060131.html).

To show its love for abortion, the ACLU uses the word "hail." According to Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, "hail" is defined in this sense as "to greet with enthusiastic approval; acclaim."Frankly speaking, to "hail" or enthusiastically support a procedure that even many abortion backers believe is repugnant and abhorrent is downright chilling. One such person is Frances Kissling, director of the maverick pro-abortion group "Catholics for a Free Choice." While staunchly support a woman's so-called "right to choose," Ms. Kissling has come out, if only modestly, in favor of parental notification for teens, fetal ultrasounds, fetal pain awareness and a ban on partial birth abortion. She even took it upon herself to criticize her friends at Planned Parenthood for coming out with "I had an abortion" T-shirts and "Choice on Earth" cards.Such statements reflect at least a modicum of respect for the unborn child and the pregnant mom.

Not so with the ACLU and their allies.It's also notable that at the bottom of the ACLU's press release, just as it appears on many of their web pages, their mission statement (if it can called that) says "The ACLU is our nation's guardian of liberty, working daily in courts, legislatures and communities to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed to every person in this country by the Constitution and laws of the United States."If the ACLU really wanted to be honest about what their organization really is about, it would insert the word "born" before "every person" or more appropriately "excluding unborn babies" at the end of "United States.

"The ACLU, like most of the far left liberal pro-abortion organizations in America, claims they would support legislation that includes a health exception. This has been debunked by both liberal and conservative legal scholars, medical groups and doctors, saying a health exception is never necessary in the case of a partial birth abortion or that a health exception is so broad it could essentially mean anything and render the ban meaningless.However, if such a ban were enacted by Congress and passed into law, one would have to really wonder if the ACLU would support it, considering they have a no restriction policy on abortion at any time during a woman's pregnancy.According to the book ACLU vs. America, the ACLU issued a press release in March 2002 at the National Day of Appreciation for Abortion Providers, saying "We must change the climate overall from one where abortion providers are vilified and assaulted to one where they are honored and upheld as the heroes they are.""Doctors" who brutally and barbarically (and legally) kill an unborn child inches from leaving the birth canal are heroes? Only the abortion industry and the ACLU could make such claims.We have to remember this ACLU is the same ACLU that essentially ordered the courts of Florida to kill Terri Schiavo last year in the name of privacy for her then husband Michael, saying that Gov. Bush's and the Florida legislature's decision to get involved and have Terri's feeding tube reinserted with treatment was a "dangerous abuse of power."A dangerous abuse of power to save a disabled woman's life with many unanswered questions surrounding her condition (before her starvation death)?

What about the ACLU's mission statement "The ACLU is our nation's guardian of liberty, working daily in courts, legislatures and communities to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed to every person in this country by the Constitution and laws of the United States"?Perhaps in the case of Terri and others, we should modify the ACLU's statement by also adding the term "non-disabled" between the words "every person" to make it accurate.To further demonstrate its love for death, the ACLU filed a brief in favor of Oregon's assisted suicide law (recently upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court), saying "we believe that the individuals eligible for the Death with Dignity Act have a liberty, privacy and dignity right to physician-assisted suicide protected by the 14th amendment."Funny, no matter how I try, I can't think of any death as dignifying. To me, the closest thing to would be dying in your sleep. Having a doctor prescribe a lethal dose of medicine to end the life of an individual doesn't come across to me as carrying any dignity.And it's notable once again how the ACLU used the word "hail" again in its press release earlier this month on this ruling (http://www.aclu.org/scotus/2005/23511prs20060117.html).

In its quest for national support of the death culture, the ACLU has taken its win in Oregon and proceeding to descend on California's Democrat controlled legislature to follow Oregon's example. The ACLU supported such legislation in 2005 but it failed to pass. Nevertheless, the bill has been reintroduced in the 2006 session and will be coming up for consideration in March. And the ACLU will be there in full tow, working the legislative aisles and using the words "privacy," "dignity" and "rights" to get its pro-death agenda thru.In addition to the ACLU's unwavering support of abortion, assisted suicide and euthanasia, its relentless crusades for homosexual rights, practices and marriage add to its pro-death culture. How so, you say?Homosexual activity is fraught with much disease and pain, many of them exclusively confined to practitioners of such behavior. Of course, most people are aware of HIV and AIDS and the horrific pain associated with them but there are many more diseases than just those. For a list, see this link but be warned, it is a bit explicit http://www.newswithviews.com/Devvy/kidd18.htm.

Yet such does not concern the ACLU. The "right" to practice deadly behavior and the "privacy" that comes with it trumps all else. Even if such activity ends up in death, it was the right of those persons to engage in such behavior. The ACLU is well pleased when such activity occurs. The Lawrence vs. Texas Supreme Court ruling in 2003 is the perfect example of it.Of course, there is one group of people excluded from the ACLU's love affair with death, that being those on death row. The ACLU has a consistent policy in fighting death penalty proponents which is likely why many people dub them (aptly so) "the American Criminal Liberties Union."Perhaps a better slogan for the ACLU might be "The ACLU: Where death row convicts are worthy of breath and the unborn and disabled worthy of death"?I think it's time to sentence the ACLU to death row.

And here's how you, my readers, can help. Talk to your family, friends, neighbors and co-workers. See if any of them are among the half million members of the ACLU. Share with them the ACLU's untenable positions. Urge any financial backers to stop funding this anti-American organization. Tell Congress to pass legislation banning taxpayer funds from going to the ACLU when they win 10 Commandments' cases. Write, fax or e-mail letters to the editor of your local paper on the ACLU. When the ACLU comes to your town to speak at a school or public forum, ask those in charge to permit an alternate view to be heard so the ACLU's positions can be exposed.Many Americans still view the ACLU as a civil liberties organization rather than, as one person recently shared with me, a civil libertine one. This needs to be changed. The unborn and the Terri Schiavos of the world have no civil liberties, according to the ACLU. This is unconscionable.Currently 5 states — Indiana, Ohio, South Dakota, Tennessee and Georgia — are considering wholesale or near wholesale bans on abortion.

This is absolutely fabulous but it needs to double, triple and quadruple to other states. A stern message must be sent to abortion practitioners and their ACLU allies that the days of killing our unborn children are over.And I say pass the bills. The ACLU will no doubt sue on behalf of the abortion lobby but let them. Let the courts overturn the legislature's laws if they wish but let the people's elected officials stand up and insist these abortion bans stand. There is no better time after 33 years of Roe vs. Wade than to ban abortion, welcome all of God's creatures into the world (including the Terri Schiavos in it) and cherish the mothers who bring these human blessings into the world.Let's send the ACLU's death agenda to the executioner.

Nedd Kareiva is the founder and director of the Stop the ACLU Coalition. He is a 45 year old man from Chicago who began the Stop the ACLU web site in August of 2004. His background is varied, which includes a degree in Biblical studies. He once served as the associate director of the Christian Broadcasting Network's Chicago counseling center when such centers were operating in major cities across America. He spent 7+ years in real estate and mortgages and worked for the city of Chicago for 3 1/2 years. He served as the singles director in the 1990s for a church in southwest Chicago. He has a 9 year old son with Asperger's Syndrome.Nedd is a professional Scrabble player who played in many tournaments (and won a few) from across the Midwest for approximately 13 years, between 1992 & 2005 and was once in the top 150 players in North America, according to the National Scrabble Association.Nedd got involved in political issues back in the early 90s when his mother and late stepdad took an active position in the pro-life movement. They were pro-life activists and even went to jail for their stances. Thanks to them and a church willing to deal with issues, his political involvement began to set in motion. [Click for more]

Does the ACLU really defend Christians

by Nedd KareivaDecember 15, 2005

At this Christmas season, the ACLU is apparently trying to crash the party by trying to convince the Christian community that it is in our corner. Recent near-carbon-copy letters to the editor from ACLU directors in Indiana and Louisiana to the Fort Wayne Gazette and Baton Rouge Advocate, respectively, want to persuade you that they'll defend you if you identify yourself with Jesus Christ.

Grab the Rolaids. I think someone just got a taste of acid reflux.Yes, it is true. The ACLU may consider defending you — your religious expression, that is.But what about traditional Christian values? Does the ACLU respect our values system?The answer is an unequivocal no.

The ACLU has a clear duplicity on religious expression as we shall see. But let's first examine the ACLU on values.Anti-Christian valuesPerhaps no two values define cultural Christian conservatives more than the sanctity of life and the upholding of traditional marriage, though issues like pornography and public displays of the 10 Commandments are certainly worthy of "honorable mention."One need not look further than the ACLU's steadfast refusal to support any and all restrictions on abortion, including one to stop the gruesome procedure of partial birth abortion, a procedure as much as 80% of the American populace wants banned, to demonstrate the ACLU's hostility to the Christian value of life.

A 2002 ACLU press release, as reported in the Alliance Defense Fund's recently published book ACLU vs. America, states abortionists should be "honored and upheld as the heroes they are," which is evidence their "value system" is not one the vast majority of Americans embrace.Add to that a banquet held last week in honor of Judge George Greer by the Pinellas County, Florida chapter of the ACLU as the judge who permitted the starvation of Terri Schiavo, and it's hard to see how the ACLU is anything but friendly to Christian values.Greer was the same judge who thumbed his nose at the Florida legislature, the governor, Congress, and the president for passing legislation to protect Terri, refused to consider massive evidence how she could be rehabilitated, rejected the parents' wishes to take care of her, and was unwilling himself to visit her (a right judges customarily take into consideration in their rulings) to ascertain her true condition.It's worth noting that a self-described agnostic lesbian in a wheelchair said earlier this year, during protests outside the hospice where Terri was held, that she would rather have a Christian decide her fate than the ACLU. However, Terri, had no such fortune. The civil-rights-touting ACLU steadfastly refused to consider her civil liberties, the kind found in Section 1 of the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.Instead, the ACLU chose to defend Terri's husband, Michael Schiavo, despite strong evidence of his vast spousal abuse.

He joined forces with his assisted suicide buddy, attorney George Felos, before Judge Greer and Florida's courts. This is no surprise, considering that the ACLU backed unsuccessful California legislation earlier this year to grant assisted suicide, and filed a friend of the court brief in favor of the state of Oregon against the U.S. government defending the state's assisted suicide law, currently at the U.S. Supreme Court.So if I understand the ACLU correctly, the ACLU's position regarding abortion is that it is a decision between a woman and her doctor. But on assisted suicide, it's apparently a decision to be made without the doctor, considering virtually all medical groups and organizations oppose it.

If you can't make heads or tails of the ACLU, you're not alone.Anti-marriageRegarding the sanctity of marriage, when an organization announces a national gay marriage campaign as the ACLU did in May — despite the fact that voters in every state with marriage amendments on the ballot passed such legislation by substantial margins — it can hardly be said that the ACLU represents Christian values. It's just the opposite.But on the issue of marriage and homosexual relationships, it's not just Christian values that are offended. Orthodox Jews, most Muslims, and virtually all other religions oppose same sex marriage and homosexuality, yet the ACLU goes against the grain on them all. They successfully sued (thus far) to overturn Nebraska's voter-enacted marriage amendment and are working to create similar scenarios in states like Georgia, Oklahoma, Maryland, and Washington.Yeah, I'm a radical right winger on this issue, like Orthodox Jews and most Muslims.The ACLU's president, Nadine Strossen, has publicly stated on more than one occasion that the ACLU backs the practice of polygamy and has been involved in litigation in favor of it in Utah. So marriage to the ACLU means anything and everything.Expression vs. valuesCould ACLU directors Fran Quigley of Indiana and Joe Cook of Louisiana be referring to defending religious expression instead religious values? That seems to be the case, considering their mention of the ACLU defense of a Southern Indiana street preacher, a Michigan high school student who was censored from entering Christian expression, and the rights of Iowa students to distribute Christian literature.If Quigley and Cook need a few items to add to their list of ACLU defenses, perhaps I can help.

The ACLU of Pennsylvania did defend, oddly enough, a pro-life family, not because of the family's position on abortion, but the right to display pro-life signs in front of their own home.The ACLU also defended, in an unusual alliance with the American Family Association (AFA), an imprisoned New Mexico street preacher, and filed a friend of the court brief in support of the right of a 2nd grade girl in New Jersey to sing "Awesome God," a case filed by the Alliance Defense Fund (ADF). They also defended Massachusetts school children who wanted to pass out Christmas candy canes with scriptural messages (while supporting same sex marriage in the state).And the ACLU recently tried coming to the aid of a street evangelist who was prevented from preaching outside a California courthouse, another case represented by ADF.

The ACLU says on its web site regarding the New Jersey case "There is a distinction between speech by a school and speech by individual students. The Constitution protects a student's individual right to express herself, including the right to express herself religiously."However, that free speech that was affirmed by the New Jersey ACLU apparently did not apply to a Jonesboro, Arkansas, high school senior girl who gave "an altar call" to accept Jesus Christ. The ACLU of Arkansas director, Rita Sklar, called Jessica Reed's right to express herself as a "blatant display of contempt for the 1st Amendment."Oh, by the way, did I say that Ms. Sklar is also the spokesperson for the National Gay & Lesbian Task Force (NGLTF)? Make the connection.The same ACLU that defended the freedom of expression of the Pennsylvania family above to display their pro-life signs sought to oppose the same 1st Amendment rights by supporting the use of FACE (Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances) against pro-lifers as well as buffer zones.Furthermore, Louisiana's Mr. Cook conveniently ignored the 1st Amendment rights of a Louisiana student who prayed over a loudspeaker prior to a football game, choosing instead to sue school officials who allowed the prayer, even to the point of equating them with 9/11 terrorists. And Indiana's Quigley recently helped obtain a court injunction against the state legislature, barring prayer before legislative sessions by ministers that mentions Jesus and Christ.Can we conclude that the ACLU is hostile to religious values while dancing on both sides of the fence on religious expression?In the balanceI have received many e-mails at my web site telling the me the ACLU would defend my civil rights if they were violated. Judging from the above cases, I would say the chances of that occurring are 50% at best if it involves the defense of religious expression. But if the issue concerns the defense of religious values, such as abortion, same sex marriage, and pornography, the ACLU's likelihood of going to bat for me are at best 0%.Some of these same people can quote the above cases where the ACLU went to bat for a Christian. These folks conveniently ignore the thousands of lawsuits of the ACLU defending Planned Parenthood, the National Abortion Rights Action League (NARAL), the National Organization of Women (NOW), abortionists, the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network (GLSEN), Gay/Straight Alliances, homosexuals seeking state sanctioned marriage, atheists seeking to remove religious symbols or the 10 Commandments from city logos or public property, pornographers like Larry Flynt of Hustler Magazine, and many others.

But because of the little good the ACLU does, should I praise them for it? Almost anyone can do good 10% in their lifetimes.Let's assume an adult video and bookstore applies for a permit to move into your community. 90% of what the owner plans to sell is X rated. However, to appease the majority of citizens who don't want the store, he agrees to set aside 10% of the store for Christian videos and books, thinking that the public will overlook his smut and thus create a family friendly environment.Are you likely going to want to purchase a Bible or a Disney children's film from this proprietor?Or assume John Q. Senator is up to reelection. He amassed 20 votes on issues that were important to you. He voted with your views only twice out of those 20 but was passionately principled about those occasions of agreement.Do you want John Q. to represent you for another 6 years?If your answer is NO to either or both examples, why would you want the ACLU in your corner for the 10% (at best) of the time they do something good?Share the truthI'd be lying if I said the ACLU never did any good. The ACLU has been on the right side in its opposition to the blatantly unconstitutional Campaign Finance Reform law that was signed into existence by President Bush. The ACLU has fought for removal of cameras from traffic lights, citing 1st Amendment concerns. And the ACLU has defended street preachers as noted above.But given the wholesale destruction of America's values by litigating them out of existence in favor of ACLU values that scant minorities of Americans embrace, and by using activist courts that are willing to be complicit in their process, does it benefit America and specifically us pro-life, pro-family Christians to have the inaptly named American Civil Liberties Union go to bat for us?This Christmas season, share the truth of the ACLU with a friend or family member. If he or she is an ACLU member, so much the better. Perhaps he or she considers the ACLU a civil rights organization that defends everyone, a point the ACLU claims on many of its chapters' web sites. Explain that the ACLU may defend his or her freedom of expression but if he or she has any traditional religious values needing representation, they would be much better off using a worthy and family friendly, pro-life public interest law firm like ADF, a group successfully having staved off ACLU threats and litigation on many fronts over the last decade.

The greatest gift America could be given this season would be reducing the ACLU's half million membership base, doing so one individual at a time. America will be kept safer and freer by its depletion. Share this piece with those in your circle.To Terri Schiavo, whom the ACLU refused to come to the aid of, to Terri's parents — Bob & Mary Schindler — and to their other children, Bobby and Suzanne, this piece is dedicated to you.Merry CHRISTmas to one and all and a happy 2006.

Nedd Kareiva is the founder and director of the Stop the ACLU Coalition. He is a 45 year old man from Chicago who began the Stop the ACLU web site in August of 2004. His background is varied, which includes a degree in Biblical studies. He once served as the associate director of the Christian Broadcasting Network's Chicago counseling center when such centers were operating in major cities across America. He spent 7+ years in real estate and mortgages and worked for the city of Chicago for 3 1/2 years. He served as the singles director in the 1990s for a church in southwest Chicago. He has a 9 year old son with Asperger's Syndrome.Nedd is a professional Scrabble player who played in many tournaments (and won a few) from across the Midwest for approximately 13 years, between 1992 & 2005 and was once in the top 150 players in North America, according to the National Scrabble Association.Nedd got involved in political issues back in the early 90s when his mother and late stepdad took an active position in the pro-life movement. They were pro-life activists and even went to jail for their stances. Thanks to them and a church willing to deal with issues, his political involvement began to set in motion. [Click for more]

Thursday, February 02, 2006

ACLU of Alabama Condemns Proposed Bill that Would Band State Funds For Lesbian and Gay Books

BIRMINGHAM, AL - The bill proposed by Representative Gerald Allen that would ban books about gay and lesbian people from public libraries is bad public policy, unconstitutional and just plain wrong. If passed, Alabama's libraries would be robbed of works by celebrated authors such as Herman Melville, Tennessee Williams, Willa Cather, Carson McCullers, John Cheever, Alice Walker, James Baldwin, Truman Capote and Gore Vidal, to name a few on what will be a very long list.

Chip's Comment:

Who knew that the ACLU would want this?LOL. The ACLU is the enemy of anything decent, moral. I myself have never heard of these guys so who would miss them.

About Me

I am an ordained Minister/Evangelist and I love sharing my faith with others. I do open-Air and pulpit preaching. I train others to Share their faith. I am a Conservative Christian and I am happly married and have a son. People are dying, share your faith...........
Attention: NEVER take my word for anything! Get your Bible out, check out my answer against God's Word.
Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect. 1 Peter 3:15
These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so. Acts 17:11